Cherry Nutrition Information

About Cherries

The ancestors of most of the modern cultivated varieties of cherry are probably the sweet, or dessert, cherry and the sour, or pie, cherry. The sweet cherry tree is frequently planted for its fruit and for its beauty when in flower, and also for its value as a timber tree. It grows rapidly and has strong, close-grained wood, suitable for use by cabinetmakers, turners, and musical-instrument makers.

Cherry Nutrition Info

Cherries have been shown to have several health benefits. Cherries contain anthocyanins, which is the red pigment in berries and have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation. Anthocyanins are also potent antioxidants which protect cells from oxidative damage by free radicals.

Cherries have also been shown to contain high levels of melatonin. Besides being an antioxidant, melatonin has also been shown to be important for the function of the immune system and in regulating the circadian rhythm.

Some Cherry Trivia Facts

Although the fruit has always been popular for dessert and culinary purposes, cherries were used during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries for their medicinal properties.

Hot cherry stones were once used in bed-warming pans and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream associates cherries with love and romance.